Meath



(No Model.)

T. T. CLARKE.

APPARATUS POR FBEDING STEAM BOILERS.

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ving the-mode of application and connections point, B2, of this lever issuspended by a ver- UNITED STATES 5 PATENT OFFICE. y

THOMAS TRACY CLARKE, OF MELDRUM, KILBEGGAN, COUNTY OF IV EST- MEATH,IRELAND.

APPARATUS FR FEEDING STEAM-BOILERS.

:JLBCIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 346,146, dated July27, 1886.

Application filed April 3, 1886. Serial No. 197,647. (No model.)Patented in England June 6,'1885, No. (3,892.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, THOMAS TRACY CLARKE,l ofMeldrum, Kilbeggan, in the county of W'estmeath, Ireland, gentleman, acitizen of the United Kingdom of GreatBritain and Ireland, have inventeda certain new and useful Apparatus for Automatically Feeding Steam-Boilers, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exract description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

The construction and operation of my said invention will be readilyunderstood by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a central vertical section showof the apparatus with a boiler on theleft-hand side; and Fig. 2 is a plan of the apparatus with the topremoved.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both theiigures.

A represents a chamber of any suitable material and size.

B is a lever working on a knuckle-joint, B', attached to the side ofthev chamber. At a tical rod, C, the float D. To the opposite side ofthe chamber is pivoted a second lever, E, provided with a curved tailpiece, E', the front of which is grooved, as indicated by thedottedlines, to enable the free end of the lever B to slide therein, ashereinafter described. In order to facilitate this sliding motion, asmall roller, b, is provided on the end of this lever. To the free endof the second lever E is suspended a second or upper iloat, F, throughthe center of which the rod C passes freely. The end of this lever E isforked, as shown at F2, Fig. 2, and pivoted to brackets F2 on the upperface of the iioat F.

A is a guide-stay for the purpose of retaining the rod C in a centralvertical position.

C is a collar fixed on the rod C, which acts as a stop and relieves thelever B of the weight of the float D when the latter falls to its normalposition.

Between the float D and the guide-stay A is inserted a spiral spring,C2, which serves to reduce the concussion caused by the too sudden riseof the ioatimmedi-.itely the lever B is released.

A2 A2 are two studs, attached to the guidestay A for the purpose ofreceiving the weight of the float F.

The suction-pipe G connects to the chamber A, as shown.

H and I are steam and water pipes communicating with the boiler, asshown. Thesteampipe is provided with an easily-movable pistou-valve atI-I. The Water-pipe I is provided with a delicately-balancedcheck-valve, I, opening downward, the weight of which is Supported andslightly overbalanced by alever, l2, turning on a center, 1'., andcarrying an adjustable weight, la.

J is a charging or blow-through pipe controlled by a cock, J. Throughthis steam is admitted to the chamber in the first instance in order tocreate a vacuum, as hereinafter described.

K is a pipe for draining the chamber when required.

L is an ai'r valve or plug on the top of the chamber for the purpose ofblowing out air with a portion of the uncoudenscd vapor.

The feed-pipe G, which brings cold water from a tank at a lower level(not represented) is provided with acheck-valve at G.

Now, the action of my invention may be briefly described, thus: Havingiixed and connected the apparatus to the boiler steam is in .the rstinstance admitted into the chamber through the pipe J, then the cock Jis shut, and by the natural cooling and condensation a vacuum is createdin the chamber. Vater will then rise and enter through the suctionpipeG. As it fills the chamber it exerts a tendency to raise the float D;but since the lever B, to which the iioat is attached, is locked by theshoulder e in the tail-piece E, as shown, it vcannot rise until thewater has risen far above D` and lifted the upper float F, therebythrowing back the tail-piece E and freeing the lever B. As the end ofthe lever rises in the end of the tail-piece E the valve H will open andsteam will rush into the chamber, destroying the vacuum, so that theiniiux of feed-water is stopped. When the pressurein the chamber A isfully raised to that of the boiler, the water in the chamber beinghigher ICO .than that in the boiler will ilow through the pipe I intothe boiler, and as the water-level in the chamber A sinks, the levers Band E, having their floats no longer supported, will return to theiroriginal condition, when the apparatus is ready again to workautomatically. It is obvious that as the water sinks in the chamber A,the float F will remainlin its elevated position, owing to thetail-piece E pressing against the lever B, and will remain so until thewater sinks to such a point as to cause the lower oat, D, to drop to itsnormal position, then the ioat F will fall and lock again the leverB asbefore. The latter portion ofthe descent of the lower i'oat, D, will,when the apparatus is working properly, be delayed until the water-levelin the boiler has sunk a little. The balance-valve I being ofconsiderable area and delicately balanced will offer but tridingresistance to the flow of the-water into the boiler so that thewater-level in the chamber A will be practically thesame as in theboiler. l The weight of the upper iioat, F, depending on the lever E,induces a pressure against the end of the lever B, so that not-fwithstanding` the roller to reduce friction the `lower float, D, will bepartially suspended.

` suspension, have sunk sufliciently to bring lits roller l) down to theshoulder or offset e in` the Vhen this condition is attained, the leastfurther sinking of the water brings the roller b below the shoulder e.Vhen this condition is attained, there is a prompt and considerablemovement. The upper float, F, drops freely until it is supported on thestops A2 A2. At the same time the lower float, D, being relieved fromthe partial `suspendingforce before experienced, and,on the contrary,pressed downward by the engagement of the offset e over the roller b,drops promptly a few inches down to and perhaps a little below l'and-isengaged under the offset e.

the ordinary line of floatation, the parts bein-g soproportioned and theconnection of the lever B to the piston-valve H so adjusted that thisprompt sinking movement which terminates the descent ofthe float Deffects the complete closing of the valve H. It should notshut at "alluntil the roller b descends to Then it should shut promptly and tightly.The chamber A being now iilled with steam, on its condensation a vacuumtakes place, the water is again drawn up through the pipe G, and theoperation is repeated. The apparatus continues working automatically.Vhile the wathat-what I claim is Il, :In an apparatus for automatically'feeding steam-boilers, the chamber A, having steam-inlet pipe J, theself-acting valve, l -balanee-lever 12,V and weight 13 controlling thewatcrfpipe I, in combination with the steamvalve-H', adjusted as shown,and with the lower float, D, and connected lever B, and with the upperfloat, F, a'nd connected lever yE, the'latter having an offset, e, toengage the ,-pointb of-said lever B, all arranged for joint operation,substantially as herein specified.

.2. In an apparatus for automatically feeding steam-boilers, the steamsupply pipe J and controlling means J, in combination with the'chamber Aand blow-through valve L, and with the levers B and E, oats D and.F,

and suitable waterand steam connections G,

I, and H, arranged for joint operation as herein described.

Dated this 26th day of February,-1886.

THOMAS TRACY CLARKE.

Wit-nesses:

J. ANGELO FAHIE, C. E.,

410 Leinster Street, Dubln. WLLRIGE,

29.*Rathmz'aes Terrace, Dubln.

